Can opener



y 7, 1947. J. H. SOLOMON 2 ,421,296

} CAN OPENER.

Filegl NOV. 30, 1945 Patented May 27, 1947 UNITED STATES IA'EQENT OFFlCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to combination tools adapted for household use.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a tool combining in a unitary structure a can opener, a tack puller, a hammer, a bottle uncapper, a knife sharpener and scissors grinder, a hone, a screw-driver, and a clamp for securing the tool to a fixed support when the knife sharpener and scissors grinder is to be used.

Another object of my invention is to provide a can opener of the sweep type comprising a hook adapted to penetrate a metal can top and provide a pivotal connection of the can opener with the can and a blade adjustable to difierent distances from the hook to accommodate the can opener to different size cans, an important feature of my invention being the provision of means for moving the cutting blade to retracted out-ofthe-way position when the can opener is not in use.

A further object of my invention isto provide in a can opener of the above character, means for maintaining the cutting blade in extended operative position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combination tool;

Figure 2 is a detailed view of one end of the tool showing the manner in which it may be clamped to a fixed support;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View of a can opener which constitutes one of the elements of the tool;

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the cutting blade of the can opener;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the blade taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the can opener showing the cutting blade in retracted position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the blade in projected position; and

Figure 8 is a view of a modified form of the invention incorporating a can opener and bottle uncapper.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 is shown a combination too1 comprising a handle member H formed with two parallel arms I projecting longitudinally outward from one end and having a pin 2 extending between the arms. Upon this pin is rotatably mounted a pair of circular abrasive stones 3 having opposed beveled faces biased together by spring pressure and together presenting a V-slot for the reception of a knife or scissors blade.

For securing the tool to the edge of a table or other stationary support in order that the stones may be conveniently used in sharpening knives or scissors, the opposite end of the handle is formed with a pair of spaced-apart walls 4 and 5. Threadedly passing through the end wall 4 is a stud bolt 6, the inner end-that is, the end located between the walls 4 and 5--of which bears against a pressure plate I and the outer end of which is provided with a finger-piece 8 to facilitate turning the bolt. The pressure plate is formed with an extension la disposed at rightangles to the plate and passed through a guide opening lb in the wall 4, whereby the plate is maintained in slidable assembly with the handle. As best indicated in Fig. 2, by turning the fingerpiece 8 the studbolt may be turned inwardly with the inner end of the bolt bearing against the pressure plate 1 until the latter comes to rest against a face of the support S (which may be the edge of a table top), after which further turning of the bolt causes the support to be firmly clamped between the pressure plate i and wall 5.

One of the arms I is extended outwardly beyond the abrasive stones 3 and terminates in a screw-driver la.

The finger-plate 8 is formed with a claw 9 having a V-shaped throat for the removal of nails and tacks from woodwork and the like.

A section of the handle bridges the walls 4 and 5 and lies in a plane parallel to the axis of the abrasive stones 3, and upon the outer face of this section adjacent its end remote from the abrasive stones is provided a hammer head comprising an upstanding projection ill having a flat impact surface.

Intermediate the knife sharpener and the hammer head and located in the same plane with latter is a bottle uncapper formed by recessing a portion of the handle so as to define a seat H for the capped end of a bottle and an overhanging finger Ha for engaging under the edge of the cap for prying it loose from the bottle neck.

A hone Z2 composed of some suitable material, such as leather, stone or rubber, is secured to the outer face of one of the arms l, and

is adapted for sharpening razor blades, etc.

Extending along the outer face of the other of the arms I of the tool is a can-opener, best illustrated in Figs. 3 through 7. The can opener comprises a section of sheet metal folded lengthwise so as to provide a top plate l2 and a bottom plate l2a arranged in slightly spaced-apart parallel relation with an uninterrupted opening l3 extending along one edge thereof. The top plate I2, which lies against the outer face of the arm I and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by soldering or welding, is provided at suitably spaced distances apart with a series of transverse parallel recesses I4. The bottom plate is cutaway so as to form alongitudinally extending slot I of substantial width terminating adjacent opposite ends of the plate and underlying the series of transverse recesses I4. Also formed in the bottom plate and lying parallel to slot I5 is another slot I6, this slot being coextensive in length but narrower in width than the slot I5. The two plates areheld inassembly. by tongues II projecting from the ends of'the bottom plate and folded under the ends of 'the top plate and these tongues may be suitably secured to the top plate to maintain the plates in spaced relation.

Extending into the space between the top and bottom plates I2 and I20, and spanning the slots .HLand I5-in adirection at right angles thereto,

.is a.key I8. This key at one end is fashioned toform a finger grip 18a, and. a short distance .-inwardly thereof is bent in the shape ofa fiat hump 48b. .Adjacent the opposite end of the key from the finger grip is affixed a cutting blade l 9.pointed at its lower end, as indicated at-IBa,

so-asto penetrate ametal can top, and sharp- .into-the form of a sleeve l9a which encircles the .key andis secured thereto by soldering or weldin and the sleeve on its circumference diametrically opposite the blade portion is formed with a rib 20 (see Figs. 4 and 5) disposed parallel tothe axis of the key and of such dimensions as to seat within arecess I4 when the key is aligned with one ofsaid recesses. The hump l8b on the key I8 is disposed approximately atright angles to the plane of the blade, as best indicated in Fig. 4, and overlies the slot l B,-so that when the *cutting blade is'in inoperative position and.-lies retracted within the slot I5, the hump occupies aposition'projecting into the slot I6. Theslot thus serves as aguideway for the key when the blade is shifted to differentpositions of-ad- When the key is turned to swing the .ZIIfitting into one of the recesses I 4, the hump is retracted from the slot is and by abutting the .top plate J2 acts as a stop to locate'the blade in .proper upright cutting position.

At the end of the tool handle opposite that which carries the abrasive wheels =3 is provided .an offset pointed hook 2! adapted to be forced through the top of a metal can and serve as a pivot about which the can opener is'swung in severing the top from the can. In order to facilitate severance of the metal, the blade I9 is preferably toed in slightly ina direction toward the center of its path of travel, asindicated in Fig. 5.

The cutting blade [9 normally lies retracted within the slot i5. When a can is to be opened, the hook 2! will be punchedthrough the top of the can at approximately its center and then,

by means of the key I8, the blade will be slid ill! useful purpose in performing various household jobs, such as sharpening knives and grinding scissors, honing razor blades and the like, driv- .:ing ,or pulling tacks or nails, uncapping bottles,

drivingscrews, or opening cans. A hole 23 in the handle allows the tool to be hung up on a nail orhook when it is not in use.

A modified form of tool is shown in Fig. 8. This device comprises a handle H one end being fashioned to provideahand grip .30 provided at-its extremity with a bottle uncapper 3| corresponding in all essential respects to the bottle uncapper -II of the formof the tool illustrated in Fig.1.

The other end of the handle supports a can opener 32 including a cutting blade 33 and can top penetrating hook 34. The blade is mounted for adjustment lengthwise of the handle and is .swingable from retracted to projected positions by means of a'key 35 in thesame mannerashas previously been described withreference .to-the tool of Fig.1.

Whilea preferred specific embodimentof the invention is hereinbefore set forth, itis tobe understood that the invention is not limited to the exact constructions illustrated and .described, but that various modifications of these details may be made within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

;1. A can opener comprising .a top plate and a bottom plate arranged in superposed spacedapart relation and providing an opening. extending along one side thereof communicating with the space betweenthe plates, said bottom plate having an elongated slot therein, a rotatable key spanning the slot and having a finger-piece projecting outwardly through the opening,.a'blade secured to the key and adapted to lie within the slot in one angular position of the key and to project outwardly through the slot in another angular position of the key, and a can top penetrating hook locatedadjacent an end of said plates.

2. A can opener comprising a top plate-and a bottom plate arranged in superposed spacedapart relation and providingan elongated opening extending along one side thereof communicating with the space between the plates, said bottom plate havin an elongated slot therein, a rotatable key spanning the slot and havinga finger-piece projecting outwardly through the opening, a blade secured to the key andra'dapted to lie within the slot in one angularposition of the key and to project outwardly through thejslot in another angular position of the key, interena ing means between the key and one ofsaid plates for ,guiding the key during fshifting movement lengthwise of the opening ands, can top penetrating hook located adjacent an endoflsai'd .bottom ,plate arranged in superposed spacedapart relation and providing an elongated open- By moving the handle about the i ing extending along one side thereof communicating with the space between the plates, said bottom plate having an elongated slot therein, a rotatable key spanning the slot and having a finger-piece projecting outwardly through the opening, a blade secured to the key and adapted to lie within the slot in one angular position of the key and to project outwardly through the slot in another angular position of the key, a series of transverse recesses formed in the top plate, a rib upon the key adapted to seat within one of said recesses when the key is turned to bladeprojecting position, a, guideway in said bottom plate extending parallel to said slot, a projection upon the key adapted to extend within the guide- 15 way when the key is turned to blade-retracting position and to abut the top plate when the key is turned to blade-projecting position, and a can top penetrating hook located adjacent an end of 5 said plates.

JOSEPH H. SOLOMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

